Prologue
 
He thought he had all the answers.
With trembling hands he reached for the urn. One touch and his heart nearly burst in his chest. The pain. God, the hollow ache of loneliness echoed through his veins. Scorching and blazing, a path of grief so profound his knees threatened to buckle.
“Mia shandor lei,” he rasped. Forcing the syllables out while he tried to dispel the recalled images of her smiling. Laughing. Crying. The last was the worst because he’d caused those tears.
“It’s enough. Let’s go home where the time will pass quickly. Please. I can’t bear to see you like this.”
Jo-Quinn knew his friend worried. He felt the squeeze of offered comfort on his shoulder, but he couldn’t move. He wasn’t ready to turn away from the last tangible piece he had that connected him to his woman. Ignoring the ice-cold porcelain beneath his fingers, he slammed his eyes shut.
“Leave us,” he whispered. This was all he would say. It was all that was needed, when a moment later he found himself alone in the chill-misted crypt. Opening his eyes, he stared at the familiar design of sky-blue forget-me-nots for a suspended moment in time. When his vision began to blur he reached out and absently traced the floral pattern that spilled wildly over the glossy ivory backdrop of the vase.
His eyes stung as it occurred to him how alike his mate was to those blooms. Vibrant in life and spilling over him as beautifully as—he drew in an unsteady breath. She was gone and now he’d have to walk through day and night alone.
Again.
“Mia lei.” He curled down and embraced the cold pot. Pressing he jaw hard against the surface. Silently willing the clay to break, until the jagged shards cut through his flesh and scattered her ashes on him, so he could take her inside and keep her safe. Shelter her until… “My love. I swear I will wait for you forever. In a place where we’ll be together again. At a time when our hearts are one and you’ll be…”
The sob that escaped him echoed through the room and when it came back to hit him, he welcomed the blow. Far better this, than drowning in the pain of losing her too soon. Something had happened. He hadn’t seen it coming. Maybe if…
Slowly he stood up straight and tilted his head back to view the night sky through the ivy strewn grate above the niche. “It’s too much to bear. Why did you go when you know I have to stay?”
Steam rose from his tears and breath while he waited for an answer. A reply that never came. Only silence greeted him and he went a little mad in the solitude. Crazy though it was, he embraced it, gaining comfort with the knowledge that sanity escapes those that have no fear in their hearts. How could he have fear when the very heart of him was burned to ash? Little more than dust to be scattered on the winds and forgotten.
I choose forget-me-nots.
He heard the voice he craved to hear, as clearly as if she were there beside him. But she wasn’t. All that remained were the memories that were frozen like perfect snapshots, ready to reappear and break him in two. He couldn’t let that happen. He needed to be strong enough for both of them now.
This time when he touched the urn he was calmer. “I will find you. I promise I shall move heaven and hell and every world between to claim you once more. Rest now, mia shandor lei, and know you have always been and will always be my treasured love. We’ll work through the strife that has brought us to this. I swear. I won’t rest until you’re in my arms once more.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face and took two deep breaths. Squaring his shoulders, he turned and then walked out of the crypt. It was a ritual, but this time when the gates were firmly locked behind him, his blood ran as cold an artic stream. The bleak emptiness that permeated through him pierced his determined resolve and shook it to the core.
“No.” He stumbled a few feet forward. Desperate and anxious. Even now praying to any deity that would listen to make this situation right.  But it was no use. The warmth of her love had vanished and he fell to his knees.
“Jo-quinn?”
“I don’t feel her.”
“What?”
“She’s gone from me as if she never was.” He buried his face in his hands and willed every one of those Gods in the universe to annihilate him on the spot. If only it were as easy as his death. He’d have gladly made the sacrifice, because despite his whispered promises, there were no guarantees he’d find her this time. Not now that she was lost in the confusion of a world that neither one of them belonged to…
(End)
Now, this giveaway is for one autographed print copy of Love Of A Lifetime. If you aren’t on Goodreads please feel free to email me your information as I’m doing a separate drawing on the same day, October 21st 2013, and I’ll include your name to the list. Shoot over an email with GIVEAWAY in the subject line to: [email protected]

 

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway


Love Of A Lifetime
by Riley Murphy

Giveaway ends October 21, 2013.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

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Click on Jack’s picture to watch the book video

 

 

 

I’m going to be posting the first chapter on Saturday. Oh and I’m currently working on an audio version of one of the scenes between Finley and Jack. His voice is smexxy and hers I absolutely adore. It’s going to be interactive if I can pull this off. *fingers crossed* so when I get that done I’ll post it too. Maybe on Saturday. If Honey stops yelling at me. Every time I open the audio file for Jack, Honey yells, “Stop listening to your boyfriend!” Or, he walks by and says, “Keep your pants on.” Hehehe. Honey’s jealous. Super excited about this little project. Can’t wait to share it.
Riley
Hey, did I mention that the song for this video is Honey’s pick for our song? I was blown away when I was listening to samples for the book video and he came into my office and said, “It has to be this one. Whenever I hear this I think of you.” He leaned down and kissed my neck, before he whispered, “Do you remember the first time I asked you to stay with me?” Aw, man. I’m getting chills just telling you guys this. But then, when I wrote Jack Midland I did have Honey in mind.